November’s Birthstone: The Fabulous Topaz

November’s birthstone is the fabulous topaz, a word that comes from Sanskrit and means “fire.” Citrines, which look similar to yellow topaz and possess similar qualities, are often also considered November’s birthstone.

The topaz is a clear, hard mineral stone found in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Russia. It occurs in a wide range of colors including red, orange, peach, pink, gold, yellow, brown, and clear (sometimes confused with diamonds). The more intense the color, the more valuable the stone. Naturally pale to medium blue topaz can also be enhanced by irradiation to produce a more intense blue color. Although topaz is a very hard gemstone, it can be split with a single blow and should be protected from hard knocks.

During the Middle Ages, topaz was thought to heal both physical and mental disorders and prevent death. The Greeks believed it had power to increase strength and to make its wearer invisible, while the Romans believed it had power to improve eyesight. The Egyptians wore it as an amulet to protect them from injury.

In medieval times, it was also believed that topaz would bring wisdom to its bearer, which explains why it was so common to give topaz jewels to heads of state, ambassadors and other officials. It is sometimes called "Imperial Topaz" because red and pink topaz gems were used in the jewelry of the 18th and 19th century Russian Czarinas. The most famous topaz was originally thought to be a diamond: a 1,680-carat colorless topaz known as the "Braganza Diamond," set in the Portuguese crown jewels. 

The ring in Hans Holbein’s famous portrait of King Henry VIII is definitely a topaz, since no other stone with these colors would have been worthy enough for a king at that time. Today the topaz is worthy of becoming a treasured gift for your loved ones with November birthdays, or at any time of the year. Ask us about some of our beautiful creations featuring topaz or citrine today!

Victoria's Secrets: The History of Jewelry, Part 1

The history of jewelry goes back almost as far as the history of humanity itself. The first signs that have been found of people wearing jewelry come from Africa, where beads with holes have been found that date back 75,000 years in a cave in South Africa. In Kenya, beads made from ostrich eggshells have been date to more than 40,000 years ago.

Outside Africa, the Cro-Magnon peoples made crude necklaces and bracelets of bone, teeth, berries, and stone, which they strung on pieces of string or animal sinew. They also made buttons out of carved bone. Some jewelry included pieces of shells or mother-of-pearl. Carved bracelets made of mammoth tusks have been found in southern Russia. We first find indication of using metal in jewelry around 7,000 years ago, with copper.

In addition to the other giant leaps human civilization made in ancient Egypt, 3,000 to 5,000 years ago, jewelry design and manufacture first became a big part of human art and decor. The Egyptians preferred the luxury, rarity, and workability of gold over all other metals. The domain of the wealthy, jewelry began to symbolize political and religious power in the community. Ancient Egyptians also included jewelry in burial rituals, dressing corpses in their gold finery for the afterlife.

Egyptian jewelry was predominantly manufactured in large workshops attached to temples or palaces. The ancient Egyptians were big fans of bright colors, and so often used colored glass in conjunction with gold, in place of the natural colors of precious gems. There was a more brightly colored glass formation that mimicked nearly each gemstone. The different colors meant different things: for example, the Book of the Dead dictated that the necklace of Isis around a mummy’s neck must be red to satisfy the goddess Isis’s need for blood, while green jewelry symbolized new growth for crops and fertility. Although lapis lazuli and silver, which were also popular, had to be imported from outside Egypt, most other materials were found in or near Egypt. For example, Egyptians mined the queen Cleopatra's favorite gem, the emerald, in the Red Sea.

Egyptian jewelry designs began to spread around the region, and can also found in ancient Phoenician jewelry. As the manufacture and wearing of jewelry became more widespread, it was common to trade between the Middle East and Europe, as suggested by ancient Turkish designs found in Persian jewelry. Women began to wear elaborate gold and silver pieces that were used in ceremonies. This would soon usher in an era of elaborate and extravagant personal adornment. 

Simon Says...

Rock N Gold Creations has been in business for 18 years and we’re still rocking, with our new logo and website along with Facebook and Twitter accounts which will allow you to get all kinds of insights into what we’re doing and the jewelry industry, and to share us with your friends and family. Recommending our sites to your friends is the best way to show them why you voted us “Best of San Diego” for the fourth year in a row, and to take care of any of their jewelry needs.

I’ve been in the industry for more than 21 years, and even with the still-uncertain economy, the holiday season is around the corner and this is the time of year when we all really need to think of our family, friends, and what life is all about. It’s a time to be together and show each other that we are placed on this earth to live life to its fullest and learn what our true values are. By giving the gift of a unique designed piece of fine jewelry, you will show your special person the meaning of life and bring them special enjoyment of the season. We have created many special pieces of fine jewelry for our clients that have been treasured for a lifetime.

Best regards,

Simon Mattar